Fabricated sheet metal article



Oct. 8, 1957 c, K, SHANK l2,808,730

FABRICATED SHEET METAL ARTICLE Filed June 22, 1953 FIG* ne CARL K. SH ANK BY.'-

ATT'Ys United sa@ A 2,808,730 Y EABRICATED SHEET METAL ARTICLE -Carl K. Shank, Mshawaka, Ind., assignor to Dodge Manu- `facturing Corporation, Mishawaka, Ind., a corporation VofIndiana j. Y

Application June 22, 19753, Serial No. 363,330 12 Claims. (Cl. 74-230.8)

The present invention relates, in general, to the fabrication of` sheet metal products, especially hollow articles of sheet metal, the invention having more particular reference to an improved sheet metal conveyorbelt pulley.

Conveyor belt pulleys are widely used for supporting moving belts of the short used in conveying loose material `between spaced apart relatively remote locations. Such pulleys commonly comprise parts of sheet metal, suchas steel, secured together, as by welding, 'and including cylindrical wall forming segments having abutting end edges weldingly seamed together to form a complete cylindrical belt engaging wall of the pulley.

vAlthough sheet metal pulleys, fabricated in such fashion, have been found generally satisfactory for conveyor belt supporting purposes,pth`e same exhibit vinherentl weakness alonglthe `longitudinally extending welded Vseams which Vintegratethe cylindrical wall forming segmentsof the pulley. Such weakness is due to difficulty encountered in welding "together abutting end edges of' relatively thin sheet metal pieces, it being impossibler to obtain complete penetration of the weld throughoutthe entire thickness ofthe joined pieces, in the circumstances lmentioned, because of the danger of completely burning through the material of the joined portions of relatively thin section and thereby spoiling the weld.

VAs a consequence, it is conventional practice to limit penetration of the weld to approximately two-thirds of thethickness ofthe joined parts to thereby eliminate the danger` of burning completely through said parts, during the welding .operatiom Accordingly, the circumferential or'jbelt engaging wall portion of the pulley is relatively weaker, to an" appreciable degree, at andk 'along lthe welded seams thereof as compared with its remaining portions. ',Furthermore, as `the peripheral surfacev ofthe pulley, rincludingnthe welded seam portions thereof,lb.e' comes worn away, through theV abrasive action of 'a' sup'- ported b elt,`said welded seams progressivelybecome relativelyweakerias compared with the remainingportions of the cylindrical pulleyv wall.. j j.

An ,importantlobject of the present inventionlis to providean improved welding technique whereby completewelding penetration may be obtainedbetweenabutting edgesY ojf'relatively thin sheet metalfsections,V particularlyiperipheral,pulley wall segments, without burning through the sections to be joined and thereb-yspoiling the weld; a further Vobject being to employ va backing bar, in conjunction with relatively thin sheet metalsections to be weldingly joined in edge abutting relationship, in order to aid in obtaining complete welding penetration in Vthe joint between the abutting edges of. the joined pieces. Q Y

'Another important object is to provide an improved technique for welding vsheet metal pieces together at and 'along-abutting edges thereof in order to produce a vhollow sheet metal member having integrally joined peripheral wall segments; afurther object being to produce a hollow fabricated Vsheet metal articleY having a sleeverlike .per

'ripheral wall portion comprising one "or'ini'ore "formed Patented Oct. .8, 1957 FCC l Another important object is to provide an improved hollow sheet metal belt pulley; a furtherl object being to provide an improved method of making a hollow sheet metal article of c-ylindrical conguration. f t

The foregoing and numerous other important objects, advantages, and inherent functions of the invention will becomeV apparent as the same is more fully understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of Ia hollow sheet metal structure comprising a conveyor belt pulley embodying the present invention; Y

Figs. 2 and 3'respectively are sectional views taken substantially along the lines 2 2 and 3--3 in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a sectionalview, similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified construction illustrating the invention;

.Fig. `5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along theflineS-S in Fig. l; and

Fig.` 6 `is a sectionalview taken substantially along vthe line 6-6' in'Fig. l for the purpose of illustrating a modified construction.

To lillustrate the invention, the drawings show a hollowfabricated sheet metal ,structure y11 comprising a conveyor beltpulley, the same being formed from sheet metal parts including end plates 12. and curved sheet metal plate means forming a sleeve 13 Vmounted upon andV embracing theperipheral edges of the end plates 12., As shown, the end plates may comprise circular sheet:l metal discs-formed with central openings 14 in vwhich bushing Vmeans 1S of any suitable character for mounting the `structure on a support shaft 16 may be the peripheral edges of the end plates 12, with each end edge of each segment disposed in abutting relation- 'ship with respect to the facing end edge of an adjacent segment, such abutting end edges being weldingly seamed together in order to form the sleeve 13 as an integral circumferentially extending wall of the structure l11. As shown, the device 11 may comprise a pair of cooperating segments 19'and 19' forming the peripheral sleeve 13.

Where' the'l structure 11 has overall length in the axial directionof the shaft 16`of-Qthe order of twice its diameter or less, the structuremay comprise'merely the sleeve 13 and the spaced end plates or walls 12,. including, of course, the' mounting bushings `15; butwhere the structure has axial length in excess ofi twice its diameter, one or more intermediate supporting discs or plates 20 may be mounted within and secured to the sleeve 13 in spaced relationship betgween' the end plates 12 inorder to strengthen and rigidityr the medial portions of such axially elongated pulley structures. `Where but one intermediate disc 20is employed, vit may be spaced in the structure midway between the end plates 12. Where several reenforcing discs are incorporated in the structure, they may, of course, bespaced apart equally or otherwise in the axial direction ofithefpull'ey, between the end plates 12. The plates -12 2,808,730 p l y figuration. The plateo plates 20, however, may 'have centralopenings 21 of size sucient merelytoA receive the shaft 16 freely therethrough. The openings 21, as a consequence, may be of substantially smaller size than the openings'14pf the endplates 12. p -In order 'to fabricate thehollowpulley structure 11, the end plates 12, -the intermediatevplater plates 20, if any be incorporated in the structureand, the peripheral wall segments 19 andA 19 may be preformed to therequired size, shape and configuration, by any preferred metal stamping, pressing, o1j formingprocedure. The bushing elements may thenbe `we ldinglysecured to kthe end plates v12 inthe openings 14, afterjwhich the end plates may be mounted uponanassembly shaft, by means of the bushings 15, and 'secured. on said shaft in desired onrequired lspaced apart relationship. i p

VBack-up bars 22 vmayrnext be tack-,w/elded,v as vat 23, respectively at theoppositeendedges of one of the ,rim segments, such as the segment 19said bars 22 vpreferably comprising each a strip of sheet metal of gauge comparable to that of the rim segments, each back-up bar being mounted upon the inner wall of the segment in overlapping relation with respect tothe end edge thereof. The rim segment` 19 upon which `the backfupmbars 22 are tackwelded, may then be applied to thel peripheral edges of the spaced apart discs 12 and welded-thereto, as at y18. The rim segment 19 may also bewelded, as at 18', to the segment covered edges of the plates 20, if any be included in the structure. If desired, the backing bars 22 may be l p Vtransversely curved or bent, als shown in dotted lines at 122 in Fig. 5 of the drawings, to conform with the curvature of the segments 19 and 19'.

l In order to accommodate the back-up bars 22, the ,discs 12 and the intermediate plate or plates 20, if yany tbe incorporated in the structure, may be formed with bar receiving notches 24 in the peripheral edges thereof. If desired, as shown in Fig. 6, the notches 24 may be omitted either in the discs 12 or in the plate or plates 20, 'or vin both discs and plates, by forming the backingbars 22 in segments 22', such bar segments being secured on Vthe wall segment 19 in position such that -the facing ends of adjacent bar segments are spaced apart suihciently to snugly receive therebetween the intervening edge portion of a disc 12 or a plate 20.

, The remaining wall segment or segments 19 may then be applied tocover the exposed portions ofthe peripheral edges of the discs 12 and theintermediate plate or plates 20,.if any be incorporated inthe structure, If, as shown ',ILFg. 3v of the drawings, buta single additional segment ;19 befemployed, lit may be applied in position with its kopposite end edges abutting and facing the opposite end edges of the wall segment 19 said opposite end edges v of the segment 19', when in such position, overlying upon :the portions ofthe `backing bars 224 which project voutwardly of the end edges of the segment 19. Thereupon the segment 19 may be tack-welded at intervals, as at 25, to the peripheral edges of the discs 12 and, vif desired, to the peripheral edges of .the intermediate plate or plates 20, if any be incorporated in the structure, such tack welding, if desired, being accomplished at welding perforations formed in the wall segment 19,'.` The `Wall segment 19' may also be welded to the peripheries of the end plates 12, asatll' *Y Y. 1.,*

If, however, as shown njFig. 4 of the drawings, more thanuone additional .walll segmentVv 19' be incorporated in Athe structure, one of Asaid additionalsegments 19'A may .bflprovided with back-up bar means 22', similar to` -the bar means 2,12, andwsecured along an end edge of said yadditional' wall segment 19A, as by tack welding 23' of vthemsort shown at 23, Suchsegment 19'A Ymay be applied upony the peripheralsedges of the discs `12 with the fed e thereof 'which Vis' remote vfrom the backing bar 22 disposed Iin position abutting with fone end edge 19A of the Wall .Segment 19@ an 1.-.i11 'overlying r'elafnliip' withl vrfspjct t9 theprfios Qflthehar 22 Whichpfoitbutwardly of said rend edge of` the'wall segment19. The wall 'segment'19' may then Vbe tack welded, as at 25A, upon the underlying edges of thevdiscs 1 2 and of the intermediate plate or plates 20, if any be incorporated in the structure. Thereupon another additional wall segment 19B may be applied in position upon the peripheral edges of the discs 12 and plate or plates 20, if any be incorporated in the structure, to enclose the4 space between the backing bar carrying edge of the segment I19'A and the spaced facing edge 19B ofthe segment 19,1which of course also carries a backing bar. When so positioned, the segment 19B 'will snugly abut, at its opposite end edges, with bar carrying edges 'of the segments 19 and 19A, `said opposite end edges of the segment 19B being thus disposed in overlyingrelationshipwith respect to tht Portions of the back-up bars 2,2 and 2 2' whi,ch project beyond the edges of the segments on which the same are mounted. The wall segment 19B may then be secured upon the edges of the discs 12 and of the plate or plates 20, if any be ,incorporated in the structure, as by means of tack welding 25B. As a final vstep in the fabrication ofthe hollow structure 11,\thelabutting end Vedges of the segments 19 and 19f, in overlying relationship with respect to :the backing bars, maybe integrated by Welding to produce welded seams 26 completely penetrating the entire thickness of the peripheral wall segments, thereby providing seams of maximum strength, Indeed Y.said seams comprise the 4strongest portions of the sleeve 13. Such maximum wall strength, .at the seams 26, is accomplished by the backing bars 22 which are arranged in the structure so as to permit thewelded seams 26 to completely penetrate the wall thickness of the sleeve 13. l The present invention provides substantial improvement in the manner ofV fabricating hollow sheet metal arti- Ycleswithoutincreasing the cost of the product. Although the back-up bars themselves representan addition to the cost of material employed in building the structure, yet lthe usef such barsA enables the welding of the seams Yto be accomplished more rapidly in that extreme care need not be exercised in 'Welding fthe seams 26. Indeed the welding of the seams 26 may be 'accomplished by using automatic high-speed welding equipment.

It should be understood, of course, that the hollow pulley structure, 11 may be made with a rim formedfrom a -single pieceof sheet material. In such case, only one back-up bar need be provided at theV single seam joining @the abutting opposite ends of kthe single peripheral wall sheet. Thetwo-piece rim structure, here illustrated in Fig. 3, however, can be 'made more quickly and easily than arustructure,embodyinga one-piece rim. Accordingly, the -two-jpiece lstructure is 'generally preferred, although `the multiple piecejrim construction, illustrated in lFig. t4rn'ay perhaps be more desirable `for incorporation in devices of unusually large size. It will be noted, also, that structures embodying backing bars equally spaced circumferentially of the `structure 11 will be substantially lbalanced dynamically about the axis of rotationthereof.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantageswill betfullyundersto'od from the foregoing description, and itis obvious vthat numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and ar -rangement of theY several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the 'form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention; Y.

" The invention is hereby claimed as'follows: t

l. A fabricated sheet metal structure comprising spaced apart support plates, a plurality of curved sheet metal segments forming a hollow sleeve on and enclosing said support plates, said segments providing pairs of abutting end edge portions, a backing bar secured at and along one of said abutting end edge portions of each said pair in position `projectingoutwardly thereof and beneath the other of said edgeipoijti'ons, andfa 'welded seam integrating "each of said pairs of abutting edge portions and extending ascenso along the facing surface of the associated backing bar, said segments having substantially equal length, peripherally of the sleeve, to thereby equally space said seams and associated bars circumferentially in said structure.

2. A fabricated sheet metal structure comprising spaced apart support plates, a pair of curved sheet metal segments forming a hollow sleeve on and enclosing said support plates, said segments providing pairs `of abutting end edge portions disposed at diametrically opposite sides of said sleeve, a backing bar extending at and along the inner side of one of each pair of edge portions in position projecting outwardly thereof andbeneath the abutting edge portion,'and a welded seam integrating each of said abutting edge portions and extending along the facing surface of the associated backing plate.

3. A fabricated sheet metal structure comprising at least three curved sheet metal plates forming a hollow sleeve providing pairs of abutting end edge portions, a backing bar secured at and along the'inner side of one of each pair of said edge portionsV in'position projecting outwardly thereof and Ybeneath the abutting edge portion, and a welded seam integrating each of said abutting edge portions and extendingralong the facing surface of the associated backing bar, said plates all have substantially the same dimension, peripherally of the sleeve, whereby to equally space said seams and associated backing bars circumferentially in said structure.

4. A fabricated sheet metal structure comprising spaced apart support plates, curved sheet metal plate means forming a hollow sleeve supported upon and secured about said support plates, said plate means having abutting end edge portions, a backing bar secured upon the inner side of said plate means at and along one of said edge portions in position projecting outwardly thereof and beneath the other of said edge portions, the peripheral edges of said support plates being notched to accommodate said backing bar, and a welded seam integrating said abutting edge portions and extending along the facing surface of the associated backing bar.

5. A fabricated sheet metal structure comprising spaced apart support plates, sheet metal means forming a hollow sleeve supported on and `secured to said plates, said sheet metal means comprising a sleeve segment overlying and weldingly secured to the peripheral portions of said plates, a backing bar secured to each of the opposite end edge portions of said segment, each bar being secured to the inner side of said lsegment in position presenting bar portions projecting outwardly of the terminal edge of the portion on which mounted, said sheet metal means also comprising additional segmental plate means mounted upon said support plates and providing end edge portions overlying upon said projecting portions of said backing bars in facing and alined registration with said opposite end edge portions of said sleeve segment, and a welded seam integrating each of the opposite edges of said segment with the facing edges of said segmental plate means, said seams extending each along the facing surface of the associated backing bar, said sleeve segment and said additional segmental plate means comprising segments of substantially equal length peripherally of the sleeve, whereby the backing bars may be equally spaced apart circumferentially in the structure.

6. A fabricated sheet metal structure comprising spaced apart support plates, sheet metal means forming a hollow sleeve supported on and secured to said plates, said sheet metal means comprising a sleeve segment overlying and weldingly secured :to the peripheral portions of said plates, a backing bar secured to each of the opposite end edge portions of said segment, each bar being secured to the inner side of said segment in position presenting bar portions projecting outwardly of the terminal edge of the portion on which mounted, Ithe peripheral edges of said support plates being notched to accommodate said backing bars, said sheet metal means also comprising additional segmental plate means mounted upon said support plates and providing end edge portions overlying upon said projecting portions of said backing bars in facing and alined registration with said opposite end edge portions of said sleeve segment, and a welded :seam integrating-eachrof the opposite edges of said segment with the facing edges of Vsaid segmental plate means, said seams `each'extending along the facing surface of the associated backing bar.

- 7. A fabricated :sheet metal pulley structure comprising spaced apart plates of like `circular peripheral size, sheet metal means forming a hollow cylindrical sleeve supported on and secured to the peripheral edges of said plates, said sheet metal means comprising-a sleeve segment overlying -and weldingly secured tothe peripheral portions of said plates, a backing bar secured to each of the opposite end edge portions of said segment, each bar being secured to the inner side of said segment in position presenting bar lportions projecting outwardly of the terminal edge of the portion on which mounted, the'peripheral edgesV ofl said support plates being notched to accommodate said backing bars, said sheet metal means also comprising additional segmental plate means mounted upon said support plates and providing end edge portions overlying upon said projecting portions of said backingbars in facing and alined registration withsaid opposite end edge portionsV of said sleeve segmentLand a welded seam integrating each of the opposite edges of ysaidI segment with the facing edges of saidsegmental plate means, said seams each extending along the facing surface of the associated backing bar.

8. A fabricated sheet metal pulley structure comprising a plate of circular peripheral configuration, cylindrically curved sheet metal plate means forming a hollow sleeve supporetd upon and secured about the peripheral edges of said plate, said sheet metal plate means having abutting end edge portions, a backing bar secured upon the inner side of said plate means at and along one of said edge portions in position projecting outwardly thereof and beneath the other of said edge portions, the peripheral edge of said support plate being notched to accommodate said backing bar, and a welded seam integrating said abutting edge portions and extending along the facing surface of the associated backing bar.

9. A fabricated sheet metal structure comprising a plurality of curved sheet metal segments forming a hollow sleeve, said segments providing pairs of abutting end edge portions, a backing bar secured at and along one of said abutting end edge portions of each said pair in position projecting outwardly thereof and beneath the other of said edge portions, and a welded seam integrating each of said pairs of abutting edge portions and eX- tending along the facing surface of the associated backing bar, said segments having substantially equal length, peripherally of the sleeve, to thereby equally space said seams and associated bars circumferentially in said structure, said sleeve forming sheet metal segments being mounted upon spaced apart support plates, said backing bars extending between and having opposite ends abutting upon said support plates.

10. A fabricated sheet metal structure comprising spaced apart support plates, a plurality of curved sheetV metal segments forming a hollow sleeve on and enclosing said support plates, said segments providing pairs of abutting end edge portions, a backing bar secured at and along one of said abutting end edge portions of each said pair in position projecting outwardly thereof and beneath the other of said edge portions and a welded seam integrating each of said pairs of abutting edge portions and extending along the facing surface of the `associated backing bar, said segments having substantially equal length, peripherally of the sleeve, to thereby equally space said seams and associated bars circumferentially in said structure, the sleeve forming segments being mounted upon a pair of end plates and having end portions extending` outwardly of saidrend plates, said backing bars including portions extending between and abutting said end plates at the opposite ends of said bar portions, and

bar segments extending outwardly of said end plates and .between said end plates and the projecting ends of the hollow sleeve.

metal segments forming a hollow sleeve on and enclosing said support plates, said segments providing pairs of abutting end edge portions, a backing bar `secured at and along one of said abutting end edge portions of each said pair in position projecting outwardly thereof and beneath the other of said edge portions, and a welded seam integrating each of said pairs of abutting edge portions and extending along the facing surface of the associated backing Ybar, said segments having substantially, equal length, peripherally of the sleeve, to 'thereby equally space said seams and associated bars Circumferentially in said structure, said sleeve forming segments being mounted upon a pair of end plates and upon one or more intermediate plates parallel with respect to and disposed between said end plates and in spaced relationship therewithk within the hollow sleeve, said backing bars comprising bar segments extending between said end and intermediate plates and abutting the same at the opposite ends of said bar segments.

l2. A fabricated sheet metal ystructure comprising spaced apart support plates, a plurality'of curved sheet metal segments forming a hollow sleeve on and enclosing said support plates, said segments providing pairs of abutting end edge portions, a backing bar secured at and Yalong one of-said abutting end edge portions of each said pair in position projecting outwardly thereof and beneath Vthe other of said edge portions, anda welded seam integrating each of said pairs of Vabutting edge portions and extendingV along the facing surface of the associated backing: bar',Y said segments having substantially equal length,vfpe ripherally "of the sleeve, to thereby equally space sa'idrseams and associated bars circumferentially in said structure, said spaced apart support plates being formed with detachable shaft journals, whereby said support plates may be readily mounted in coaxial alinement upon a, support shaft priorto and during attachment thereon of the sleeve forming curved sheet metal segments.

References Cited in tile of this patent UNITED STATES vParrains 1,290,091 `,este Jan. 7, 1919 1,648,626 smith1 Nov. s, 1927 1,766,585 Banfield et a1. June 24, 1930 2,219,085 Watson Oct. 27, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia May 3, 1934 

